NEWS - Cypress introduces industry's first programmable PLCs

San Jose, Calif. - Cypress Semiconductor Corp. has introduced the world's first programmable devices for data communication over existing power lines. The Cypress Powerline Communication (PLC) devices address smart communication and smart grid connectivity over existing power lines with no new wires. Leveraging the programmable analog and digital resources of Cypress's programmable system-on-a-chip (PSoC) architecture, the new PLC devices integrate multiple functions such as power measurement, system management and LCD drive in addition to communication.

The new devices offer greater than 97% packet success rates without retries and 100% success rates with retries built into the solution's coding. They can communicate over both high-voltage and low-voltage power lines for lighting and industrial control, home automation, automatic meter reading and smart energy management applications.

Cypress PLCs offer support for bidirectional half-duplex communication; the flexibility to use complete solution (PHY, Protocol and Application code) or just pieces of solution (PHY and Protocol or PHY only); and variable baud rates up to 2400 bps. The onboard power supply derives power from the power line bus.

The PLC family includes a cost-optimized fixed-function device with an I2C interface (CY8CPLC10), programmable PSoC-based devices (CY8CPLC20), and programmable PSoC-based devices optimized for LED support (CY8CLED16P01). The CY8CPLC10 device is available in a 28-pin SSOP package, while the CY8CPLC20 and CY8CLED16P01 devices come in 28-pin SSOP, 48-pin QFN and 100-pin TQFP packages. All of the devices are currently in production.

The CY3272 High Voltage Powerline Communication Evaluation Kit and CY3273 Low Voltage Powerline Communication Evaluation kit are currently available for US $299 each. Each kit is compliant with FCC and CENELEC standards and includes an evaluation board, quick start guide, multiple cables, a USB cable, a 12V AC power adapter and a CD with test software, datasheets, a user guide, an application note, schematics and Gerber files.

The CY3274 Programmable High Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit and CY3275 Programmable Low Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit enables system design using CY8CPLC20 devices and are available for US $642 each. The CY3276 Programmable High Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit and CY3277 Programmable Low Voltage Powerline Communication Development Kit are targeted for lighting application system design using CY8CLED16P01 devices and are available for US $951 each.

More information on the new PLCs is available at www.cypress.com/go/PLC. The development kits listed above are currently available on the Cypress eShop at www.cypress.com or through authorized distributors.